10/10/2025
Stop the sniffles at the sink: handwashing really works.
Simply washing with soap can prevent about 1 in 5 respiratory infections (like colds & the flu). Here’s how to make it count:
Tips & tricks
• Wash for 20 seconds—hum “Happy Birthday” twice
• Hit key spots: palms, backs, between fingers, thumbs, under nails, wrists
• Before eating, after the restroom, after coughing/sneezing, after public transit/gym, and when you get home
• No sink? Use sanitizer with ≥60% alcohol and rub until dry
• Remove rings & keep nails short for a better clean
• Dry with a clean towel; use it to turn off the faucet & open the door
• Protect skin: moisturize after washing to prevent cracks (germs love broken skin)
Let’s keep you—and everyone around you—healthier this season.
Source: CDC